Burner



J. MASSIER BURNER Filed Feb. 3, 1960 Dec. 31, 1963 odocoo

INVENTOR. JOHN MASSIER ATTORNEY.

FIG.

United States Patent 7 3,115,924 BURNER John Massier, Oreland, Pa.,assignor to Selas Corporation of America, a corporation of PennsylvaniaFiled Feb. 3, 1960, Ser. No. 6,506 Claims. (Cl. 158-73) The presentinvention relates to industrial burners, and more particularly to aburner that can use oil, gas, or oil and gas as a fuel, and one which isused to heat a cupshaped surface of a burner block to incandescence todirect radiant heat into "a furnace.

The majority of burners in use today which use oil or oil and gas as afuel are characterized by producing a relatively long, luminous flame.Such burners require a large furnace chamber so that the work can beplaced where it will not be contacted by the flame. This type ofconstruction makes it difficult, if not impossible, to obtain preciseheating of various portions of a furnace cham. her or object.

It is :an object of the invention to provide a burner that will operatewith a short, practically invisible flame when using either oil or gasas a fuel. It is a further object of the invention to aprovide an oilburning radiant cup burner. An additional object of the invention is toprovide a burner which will operate on oil, gas, or oil and gas withmoappreciable difference in burning characteristics or flame appearance.

In carrying out the invention, there is provided a means for supplying aradially expanding sheet of air across a cup-shaped depression in aburner block. A supply of fuel which, if oil, is in atomized form, isdischarged centrally of the air, and is drawn by the air radiallyoutward to mix with it and burn. The burning takes place substantiallyinstantaneously to heat the surface of the depression to incandescence.

The various features of novelty which characterize my invention arepointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming apart of this specification. For a better understanding of the invention,however, its advantages and specific objects attained with its use,reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptivematter in which I have illustrated and described a preferred embodimentof the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a view in section of one form of the burner in which fuel andair are both supplied under pressure,

'FIG. "2 is a View of the burner tip looking from the right in FIG. 1,and

FIG. 3 is a view in section of a form of the burner in which thecombustion air is supplied through an inspirator.

Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawing, there is shown a furnace wallincluding refractory 1 that faces the interior of the furnace, which isbacked up in the usual fashion by sheet metal 2 with a layer ofinsulating material 3 between the refractory and the metal. A burnerblock 4 is placed in the furnace lining, leaving an opening throughwhich the burner cup block and the burner itself are inserted. The cupblock is shown as a refractory block 5 that is cemented to a cup base 6,which in turn is fastened to a cup base casting 7. The parts 5, 6 and 7are moved into position as a unit in the furnace wall, with a shoulderon burner block 4 limiting the position of the cup block.

The cup block 5 is provided on its face with a cupshaped depression 8,the innermost portion of which is formed by a surface 9 which is at asmaller angle to the axisof the block than is the outer portion of thecup. The base of the depression is provided with an opening 11 thatextends back through parts 6 and 7, and in which 3,115,924 PatentedDec'. 31, 1963 is inserted the fuel distributing portion 12 of theburner which is tubular and is generally known as a distributing member.

This burner includes an outer tube 13 that is provided with a flange 14by means of which it can be attached to casting 7. The right or innerend of tube 13 is closed by means of a part forming a swirl chamber 15.This part is provided with an outwardly extending flange 16 by means ofwhich it is attached to the end of tube 13 and with an inwardlyextending flange :17. The inner flange has a circular \opening in it,the edge of which is fastened to one end of a tube 18 that is concentricwith tube 13 and extends back away from the block through an opening inthe closed left end of tube 13 to which it is attached. Between tubes 13and 18 is a third, concentric tube 19, the right end of which isattached to flange. 17, and the left end of which is closed by a flange21. These three tubes in concentric relation form an outer annular space22 that is supplied with air through a connection 23, and a middleannular space 24 that is supplied with gas through a connection 25. Theannular space between tube 13 and the axial wall of swirl chamber 15 canbe considered as an annular air chamber or space 28 that is open at oneend. The axial wall of swirl chamber '15 is provided with a plurality ofrows of tangential openings 26 through which air is introduced into theswirl chamber from air chamber 28 with a rotary motion. The axis ofopenings 26, shown at a in FIG. 2, is perpendicular to a plane bcontaining the axis of chamber 15. Flange 17 is provided with a ring ofaxially disposed openings 27 through which gas can be discharged fromspace 24 into the swirl chamber. An atomizer 29 for oil is received inthe central opening of flange 17 in telescoped relation with the innertube 18. .Oilis supplied to atomizer 29 through a tube 31 tributingmember 12 is moved to the right through the central opening 11 of theburner cup block to a position in which its right end projects slightlybeyond the base of the inclined portion 9 of the cup as shown. A seriesof gaskets 34 can be inserted between the back of casting 7 and flange14 in order properly to locate the distributor portion in the cup block.In most cases, it will be desirable to manufacture the parts so thatthey will fit correctly when flange 14 abuts the back of casting 7. Inany event, the distributor portion 12 is bolted in place to the castingwhen it is properly located.

In operation of the burner, air is supplied through connection 23 at apressure of from 28 to 30 inches of water, and'gas is supplied throughconnection 25 at the same pressure. The supply of air is controlled by avalve 35 and gas by a valve 36. In normal operation, oil is supplied atfrom 14 to 18 pounds per square inch, and the atomizing gas at apressure of 15 pounds per square inch. The pressure of the oil and gasgoing to the atomizer, however, will vary with the type of atomizer thatis used. This atomizer may be of any commercially discharged from space22 through the tangential ports 26 into swirl chamber 15. This airleaves the swirl chamber and spreads as a sheet radially across the faceof the cup. If gas is being used as a fuel, valve 36 will be opened todischarge gas into the swirl chamber through opening 27 where the gaswill be picked up by the air and carried across the face of the cup.This mixture can be ignited, and will burn as it flows across the faceof the cup to heat the cup to incandescence. The projection of flange 16into the base of the cup, coupled with the steeper inclination ofportion 9 of the cup, appears to set up a low pressure area immediatelyoutside of the distributor tip, which serves to trap some of thecombustible mixture. The mixture burning in this low pressure areaserves as a pilot to hold the flame on the burner and insure thatburning across the face of the cup will continue. If oil is to be usedas a fuel, valves 37 and 38 in the oil and atomizing gas lines will beopened, and oil will be discharged in atomized condition from the frontof the atomizer 29. The action of air flowing across the surface of thecup appears to pull the oil radially outward, so that it mixes with theair. In any event, this action takes place so that there is an intimatemixture of the atomized oil and air which burns as its flows across thesurface of the cup. This burning action produces a reduced pressure areaimmediately in front of the burner tip in the manner described in HessPatent 2,215,079 to pull products of combustion and flaming gases intothe center of the cup. The involution pattern of the products ofcombustion formed in front of the furnace wall also serves in part tomove the cone of atomized oil radially outward to help the mixture ofthe air and oil. As the burner gets hot, the small drops of oil that aredischarged from the atomizer will apparently vaporize, so that in effecta gas is being used as a fuel. As far as observation of the burner isconcerned, when it is operating, it is difficult, of not impossible, totell whether gas or oil or both is the fuel.

The various valves can be manipulated so that the burner can use gas oroil, or gas and oil as a fuel. It is only necessary to supply enough airso that substantially stoichiometric proportions of air and fuel are discharged into the cup.

The embodiment of the invention disclosed in FIG. 3 of the drawing usesan inspirator to supply air to the burner cup instead of having airsuplied under a positive pressure as was the air in the embodiment ofFIG. 1. Referring to that figure, there is shown an inspirator body 41that is received in the central opening of the burner cup block. Thisinspirator has formed in its right end an annular chamber 42, the end ofwhich projects slightly into the steeply inclined portion 9 of the cup,as was the case in FIG. 1. The chamber 42 is provided with a pluralityof rows of tangential openings 43 that extend from the chamber to theinterior of the ring formed by the chamber. A gas under pressure, whichis preferably dry steam, is supplied to the chamber through a passage 44formed on the exterior of the body and a supply pipe 45.

Atomizer 29 and the oil and atomizing gas lines connected therewith areencased in a tube 46 which extends through a side of the atomizer bodyand up toward the burner cup, with the atomizer being located within thecenter of chamber 42 in a position similar to the position it had anchamber in FIG. 1. The atomizer is held in position by means of struts47.

The rear end 48 of the inspirator body is bell-shaped in the usualmanner, and has located therein a shutter 49 which is held in positionby a bracket 51. Rotation of the shutter in a conventional manner willadjust the amount of air that is supplied to the burner. The centralportion of bracket 51 is formed as a sleeve 52, which holds a spud 53,that is supplied with a fluid under pressure through a pipe 54.

In the operation of this form of the invention, a gas,

which is preferably dry steam under pressure, is supplied through line45 to chamber 42. The steam is exhausted from this chamber throughopenings 43, and passes as a radially expanding sheet into and acrossthe surface of cup 8. Oil is supplied through atomizer 29 in a mannersimilar to that described above, and is drawn against the surface of thecup by the steam. In this case, either air under pressure or steam issupplied through pipe 54 and spud 53 to the inspirator body. This gasunder pressure aspirates air in the proper amount for combustion intothe inspirator body. As the air flowing through this body reaches theopenings 43, it is picked up by the gas flowing through these openingsand carried with it and the oil along the surface of the cup to form acombustible mixture which burns with a short, clear flame. If the burneris to be used with fuel gas as the fuel, fuel gas will be suppliedthrough pipe 54 and spud 53 to aspirate the air necessary forcombustion. This combustible mixture will be mixed with the gas flowingthrough passages 43 and forced against the surface of the cup to beburned as it is flowing across the cup. Fuel gas can also be used toaspirate air for combustion when oil is being supplied through atomizer29, so that burning of both fuel gas and oil simultaneously can takeplace.

Ordinarily, the burners in either of the embodiments described abovewill use either fuel gas or oil as a fuel. At times, however, forreasons of economy or supply of fuel, it is necessary to use both fuelssimultaneously. Also, when changing from one fuel to the other, it wouldbe desirable, gradually, to increase the supply of oil, for example,while the supply of fuel gas is being decreased. Because of the burningcharacteristics of the burner, there is no apparent difference frominspection when in operation whether fuel gas or oil, or a combinationof the two, is being used as a supply of fuel.

The invention disclosed herein has provisions for moving the combustionair across the face of the cup, and by natural forces, due to pressurevariations in the cup, of drawing fuel into the air so that combustionwill take place. The burner is readily inserted into and removed from afurnace, and is easily fabricated from readily available material.

While in accordance with the provisions of the statutes, I haveillustrated and described the best form of embodiment of my inventionnow known to me, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art thatchanges may be made in the form of the apparatus disclosed withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention set forth in theappended claims, and that in some cases certain features of my inventionmay be used to advantage without a corresponding use of other features.

What is claimed is:

1. In an industrial burner, the combination of a refractor block havinga face adapted to form a portion of a furnace wall, said face beingprovided with a substantially conical depression having its sidesflaring at a predetermined angle, said block being provided with anopening extending substantially perpendicular to said face from the apexof said depression through said block, a distributor member having asubstantially cylindrical portion and an end, said portion beingreceived in said opening with said end substantially flush with saiddepression, said end being provided with a re-entrant portion forming anaxially extending cylindrical chamber open at said end and smaller indiameter than said end, said chamber having an axial wall and a radialwall, said axial wall being provided with a plurality of openings eachof which has an axis perpendicular to a plane containing the axis of thechamber and terminating substantially tangential to the inner surface ofsaid wall, means to supply air to said member to flow through saidopenings into said chamber and spread outwardly along the surface ofsaid depression, an oil atomizer, means extending through said memberand said rear wall to support said atomizer in said chamber with saidatomizer being located adjacent to said end, said atomizer being of thetype to discharge oil in a conical pattern with an angle less than saidpredetermined angle, and means to supply oil to said atomizer to bedischarged directly into said depression.

2. The combination of claim 1 in which said radial wall is provided witha plurality of axially extending passages surrounding said supportingmeans, and means to supply fuel gas to said passages to be dischargedinto said chamber.

3. The combination of claim 1 in which the portion of said conicaldepression adjacent to the apex thereof has a smaller angle to the axisthereof than the portion of said conical depression adjacent to the faceof said block.

4. In an industrial burner, the combination of a refractory block havinga face adapted to form a portion of a furnace wall, said face beingprovided with a cup-shaped depression, said block being provided with anopening extending from the base of the depression through the block, atubular distributing member having an end received in said opening withits end substantially flush with the base of said depression, said endbeing provided with a re-entrant chamber having a tubular axial wall anda radial wall displaced from said end, said axial wall being providedwith a plurality of passages each of which has an axis substantiallyperpendicular to a plane containing the axis of said chamber andtangentially to its inner surface, means to force air into said memberand into said chamber to flow outwardly across the face of saiddepression, an atomizer having an angle of discharge smaller than theincluded angle of said depression, means extending through said radialwall to support said atomizer in said chamber with said atomizer locatedadjacent to said end of said distributor, and means to supply oil tosaid atomizer to be discharged directly into said depression.

5. The combination of claim 4 in which said radial wall is provided witha plurality of axially extending openings around said means supportingsaid atomizer, and means to supply fuel gas through said openings tosaid chamber to be discharged with the air.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS738,537 Gwynn Sept. 8, 1903 1,290,607 Lovekin Jan. 7, 1919 1,339,580Runyan May 11, 1920 1,451,063 Anthony Apr. 10, 1923 1,914,355 Argyle eta1 June 20, 1933 2,156,121 Macrae Apr. 25, 1939 2,242,787 Lieberherr May20, 1941 2,452,779 McCollum Nov. 2, 1948 2,561,795 Hess et al. July 24,1951 2,904,417 TeNuyl Sept. 15, 1959 2,969,833 Bloom et al. Jan. 31,1961 3,000,435 Bloom et a1. Sept. 19, 1961 3,022,815 Bloom et a1 Feb.27, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,035,124 France Apr. 15, 1953

1. IN AN INDUSTRIAL BURNER, THE COMBINATION OF A REFRACTOR BLOCK HAVINGA FACE ADAPTED TO FORM A PORTION OF A FURNACE WALL, SAID FACE BEINGPROVIDED WITH A SUBSTANTIALLY CONICAL DEPRESSION HAVING ITS SIDESFLARING AT A PREDETERMINED ANGLE, SAID BLOCK BEING PROVIDED WITH ANOPENING EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY PERPENDICULAR TO SAID FACE FROM THE APEXOF SAID DEPRESSION THROUGH SAID BLOCK, A DISTRIBUTOR MEMBER HAVING ASUBSTANTIALLY CYLINDRICAL PORTION AND AN END, SAID PORTION BEINGRECEIVED IN SAID OPENING WITH SAID END SUBSTANTIALLY FLUSH WITH SAIDDEPRESSION, SAID END BEING PROVIDED WITH A RE-ENTRANT PORTION FORMING ANAXIALLY EXTENDING CYLINDRICAL CHAMBER OPEN AT SAID END AND SMALLER INDIAMETER THAN SAID END, SAID CHAMBER HAVING AN AXIAL WALL AND A RADIALWALL, SAID AXIAL WALL BEING PROVIDED WITH A PLURALITY OF OPENINGS EACHOF WHICH HAS AN AXIS PERPENDICULAR TO A PLANE CONTAINING THE AXIS OF THECHAMBER AND TERMINATING SUBSTANTIALLY TANGENTIAL TO THE INNER SURFACE OFSAID WALL, MEANS TO SUPPLY AIR TO SAID MEMBER TO FLOW THROUGH SAIDOPENINGS INTO SAID CHAMBER AND SPREAD OUTWARDLY ALONG THE SURFACE OFSAID DEPRESSION, AN OIL ATOMIZER, MEANS EXTENDING THROUGH SAID MEMBERAND SAID REAR WALL TO SUPPORT SAID ATOMIZER IN SAID CHAMBER WITH SAIDATOMIZER BEING LOCATED ADJACENT TO SAID END, SAID ATOMIZER BEING OF THETYPE TO DISCHARGE OIL IN A CONICAL PATTERN WITH AN ANGLE LESS THAN SAIDPREDETERMINED ANGLE, AND MEANS TO SUPPLY OIL TO SAID ATOMIZER TO BEDISCHARGED DIRECTLY INTO SAID DEPRESSION.